Bech-Svalgaard Family Home Page

Updated 11/29-03 by Mikael

It's saturday and yesterday we came back from a trip to the southern mountains of New Mexico. Before presenting that trip I'd better start with the photos that have been accumulating since our last update. Our everyday life is running smoothly, with school, pre-school, work, shopping, etc. Every wednesday we go to Tom's Tavern for hamburgers (Signe has lately started ordering soup and salad instead; why I don't know?!). This afternoon we went to our local supermarket for rich mountain hippies, Whole Foods, where they have so many sample stands that we can take care of lunch while shopping.

Peter is doing better. He never complained much about coming here (Ingrid did that very thorougly); but he had a phase where he'd attack Ingrid and misbehave in various other fashions. I'm sure it was kind of a cry for help coming from frustrations over lack of social contact and language skills. Now, things are better; he's happy and doesn't attack Ingrid. He sings and talks alot in his own language, a langauge he shares with his secret and invisible friend 'Otto with the bomber-plane'. It sounds alot like american, but it's jibberish for the rest of us. Yesterday he sang for a whole hour in the car using that language.

Ingrid really has full speed ahead. She understands pretty much everything in english and can also say quite alot herself. She has become much more brave compared to when we were in Denmark, like going to birthday parties 30 miles away without mom or dad for company. She loves her school and her teacher, miss Sheila. I can't think of anything negative. She's also missing her family in Denmark. That's positive, too. Peter says that he can't remember what our apartment or his kindergarten in Denmark looks like. Yesterday, I asked Ingrid if she'd go back to Denmark tomorrow if she could. At first she said, 'YES!', but then I said 'what about miss Sheila, Karen, Chandler and Cassidy?', and then she said 'hmmm... Okay, then after my birthday' (apr. 25). Ingrid is looking forward to throwing a Danish birthday party for her friends.

Signe is a bit stressed over all the things she feels she must accomplish here. I say to her that as long as she works hard from 9-5, then there isn't more to reflect upon. As long as you do what you can, as good as you can. That's got to be enough. She's become hooked on a 90's tv-series called 'Sex in the City' which she got on DVD from her boss, Betsy. Sometimes she watches six episodes in one evening. That's OK, because Betsy gave us three years worth of episodes.

I'm feeling very good myself. I'm not stressed out, even though I'm only working from 9-2. I go on excursions with Ingrid's class whenever possible. It is so fun to watch her in an American context and not only as a Danish girl here at home. I should be spending alot of my spare time writing up research publications on my Danish work, but since they're not paying me anything it's been so-so with my conscience. I should be doing something about it though, hmmm.... Besides briefly thinking thoughts like this I'm spending alot of evening (and nighttime) hours on astronomy. But enough about that, here comes a series of photos, incl. subtitles.

One saturday we took a trip into the mountains to do some horseriding. We thought that maybe Ingrid should ride with Signe since she probably wouldn't like to do it alone, but as usual we were wrong. Ingrid's horse was called 'Wagon Trash' and she rode it like the most natural thing in the world.

The week after Signe went to Florida on a conference. A few days later the kids and I flew down to Houston to visit Leif and Vera. They had 90F, sun and a pool so we got a chance to test our swimming outfits. A couple of days later Signe joined us. Here Peter is building a Lego construction on L&V's stairs.

As I am sure y'all know, Houston is host to a massive space industry and of course the family had to go see some space hardware. It was a long day at JSC and I had to promise some space lego for Peter so that he wouldn't tear down their ISS-mockup. At least I thought it was a great day.

Upon returning and having dinner it was time for the kids to have a bath. Leif had shown them the spa-bath and he took care of the practicalites while Vera and I cleared the dinner table. It turned out that Leif was very generous with the soap.

When Leif started the bubble machine something really started to happen with the soap bubble development. At this time Ingrid started realizing that this wouldn't be just any ordinary bath.

The bubbles just kept on multiplying.

And multiplying....

More and more...

No end in sight....!

But in the end we didn't loose Peter. The cheering wouldn't stop.

We also went to the beach, to an old warship and lots of other places. It was also great just staying home and relaxing with Leif and Vera. However, in the end we had to go: Halloween was approaching.

Peter wanted to be a witch, and so be it. Here we are at the preschool Halloween party.

Here's Peter with a friend outside.

After the party we went to Ingrid's school to attend their Halloween arrangement. Here's Ingrid's class in full battle dress.

Ingrid wanted to be a spider-girl, and here she is with her beloved miss Sheila.

After school we went home and relaxed for a couple of hours before going trick or treating on the dark streets. The kids did just fine, going around knocking on the doors of strangers and communicating 'trick or treat' in english. Around seven Halloween was over, I was finished and so were the kids.

Here's a picture that miss Sheila took of us when we were on an excursion to Denver to see a puppet theater. I like it so much, even though it's blurred!

Almost since we came here Peter has saved up for a Harry Potter Lego train. He has been doing all sorts of chores to get money and has shown great talent in the business of accumulating funds. When he had the money for the train we ordered it. When Fed-ex delivered the box he was in high spirits and very proud.

Love to you all - Signe, Mikael, Ingrid and Peter

Mikael (svlgrd@com.dtu.dk)

Signe (sba@dmi.dk)